Means for isolating plaster and ceiling junctures



H. K. LEWIS Nov. 22, 1966 MEANS FOR ISOLATING PLASTER AND CEILINGJUNCTURES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 17, 1965 INVENTOR HIRAM KENNETHLEWIS H. K. LEWIS Nov. 22, 1966 MEANS FOR ISOLATING PLASTER AND CEILINGJUNCTURES Filed June 17, 1965 :3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

HIRAM KENNETH LEWIS BY (XML,

l K92 l H. K. LEWIS Nov. 22, 1966 MEANS FOR ISOLATING PLASTER ANDCEILING JUNCTURES 5 SheetsSheet 5 Filed June 17, 1965 INVENTOR.

HIRAM KENNETH LEWIS United States Patent 3,286,420 MEANS FOR ISOLATINGPLASTER AND CEILING JUNCTURES Hiram Kenneth Lewis, 3725 E. Campbell,Phoenix, Filed June 17, 1963, Ser. No. 288,126 9 Claims. (Cl. 52241)This invention relates to a means forisolating plaster wall and ceilingjunctures and more particularly to a means for isolating plaster walland ceiling junctures which prevent cracking of the plaster in abuilding roomwhen the ceiling is suspended from a flexible overheadfloor or other structure which deflects vertically and causes relativemovement between the plaster of a building room ceiling and the plasteron the walls or wall partitions thereof.

In conventional building structure it has become common practice toconstruct multiple storybuildings by utilizing steel reinforced concreteslabs to span areas between vertical walls and, thereby, providesuperimposed floors beneath which ceiling structures for roomsimmediately therebelow are suspended. Thus, the ceiling structures areconnected to the bottom portions of these concrete slab floors of thestory directly above such ceilings. These suspended ceilings are, thus,vertically movable in accordance with the vertical deflection of theslab floors which support such ceilings. In this structure, cracking hasheretofore occurred between the plaster of such suspended ceilings andstationary walls therebelow. Such cracking has been caused by verticalde-, flection of the slab floor structures which permit the ceilingsuspended therefrom to move up and down and in such structures where theplaster of the movable ceiling is integral with plaster of upstandingwalls and partitions, considerable cracking has occurred in the plasterand has caused substantial damage and maintenance costs for repairingsuch damage.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a meansfor isolating plaster walls and ceiling junctures which is very simpleand economical of construction and which readily permits slight movementbetween the paster on a movable ceiling and the plaster on an upstandingstationary wall.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel channel structurecommonly known as a ceiling track which is utilized to interconnectupper ends of studding in a partition wall and which is provided withthree channel sections, an intermediate one of which retains studdingwhile the outer ones of which hold lath and plaster for the wall andprovides a vertical abutment for plaster of the ceiling so that theplaster of the ceiling is isolated from the wall plaster and isrelatively movable adjacent the flanges of the ceiling track or flangestructure of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel channel structurehaving three channel portions comprising four channel flanges extendingin the same direction to hold studding between the intermediate ormiddle channel legs and so that lath may be secured at opposite sides ofthe studding, whereby the outermost channel flanges form an abutment forthe wall plaster to not only provide a finish for horizontally disposedportions of a wall structure or partition, but which may also provide afinished structure for vertical edges or ends of partial or fullpartitions or walls.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel building structurefor supporting studding, lath and plaster in a. unitary structure of abuilding wall or partition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel building structurefor properly connecting studding, lath and plaster at both the upperends and lower ends of walls and partitions to thereby provide a metalfinish at the edges of the plaster so that metal baseboards and uppermetal outline structure for the plaster is provided to retain itisolated from adjacent building ceiling or wall structures.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel means forisolating plaster wall and ceiling junctures to prevent cracking betweenrelatively movable wall and/ or ceiling plaster of a building room.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel one piece channelstructure having three separate channel portions for use in studding andplaster wall construction to provide edge finished structure for wallsor partitions and for maintaining juxtaposition of the plaster relativeto the studding wall and for isolating the edges thereof with respect toadjacent structures.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel sheet metalchannel structure having three separate channels, theintermediate one ofwhich supports studding and the outermost ones of which support lath andplaster; resilient clips engageable with the outermost channel flangesand adapted to support lath adjacent studding in the intermost channelduring application of plaster to the lath, thereby, greatly facilitatingthe assembly of lath and plaster relative to various kinds of wallstudding.

Other objects and advantages of the invention-may be apparent from thefollowing specification, appended claims and accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through a buildingpartition or wall structure and suspended ceiling located thereabove;said suspended ceiling being suspended from a deflectible floorstructure thereabove;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of a studding wallstructure of the present invention shown with a channel structure of theinvention vertically disposed and abutted to a masonry wall or otherstructure;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a channel or wall track structure ofthe present invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the structure shown in FIG. 3 and takenfrom the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a reduced elevational view of a partition illustrating bybroken lines, walls and ceiling of a room therearound and showing thechannel structure disclosed in FIG. 3 on upper horizontal portions andvertical edge portions of the partition and arranged with relation tothe lath and plaster in amanner similar to that shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken from the line 66 of FIG. 4, showing bybroken lines and arrows the breaking out of the central portion of thestructure and the folding back of tabs to provide an opening for a studand to provide connection members for the channel structure;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the base member,

' shown in FIG. 1, but omitting plaster and indicating by broken lines,the insertion of a stud in a downward direction to fit into an openingformed by tabs in the downwardly diverging portions of the base member;and

FIG. 8 is plan sectional view taken from line 8-8 of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, a floor surface 10 supports a wall or partition basestructure 12 of the invention. This structure 12 is formed of sheetmetal and is formed of a single piece of sheet metal comprisinghorizontal flanges 14 having vertical baseboard wall sections 16integral therewith and extending vertically in substantially the planesof plaster at opposite sides of the wall. At upper portions 18 of thesewall portions 16 the base structure 12 is provided with downwardlyconverging sheet metal plate portions 20 which are provided with shearedout tabs 22 forming an opening in the downwardly converging portions 20through which the lower end corner portions 24 of a metal stud member 26is disposed. The lower end extremity 28 of the stud 26 rests upon thesheared out tabs 22 and these tabs 22 at their ends 30 overlap theportions 14 of the base structure 12.

The stud structure 26 may be of various structural configuration andmaterial, however, the preferred studding structure 26 is a conventionalmetal stud having an upper end 30 and several of these studs 26 aredisposed in vertically arranged position and in parallel relationship toeach other, being spaced from each other horizontally along the basestructure 12. Upper end portions 30 of these stud structures 26 extendthrough openings 32 in channel structures generally designated 34. Thesechannel structures 34 are disposed at the upper ends of the studs 30 andthe openings 32 in the channel structure 34 are formed by sheared outportions 36 which leave bent up tabs 38 which are extended laterally asshown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Upper ends of the studs 26 areinstalled in the openings 32 left by the bent out tabs 38. Theseopenings are in the web portions of the middle channel of the channelmember of the invention, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and also in FIG. 1of the drawings, wherein the tabs 38 are shown bent laterally andsecured and supported by the wires 42.

During installation, the normally upper end of each stud 26 is pushed upthrough the blanked out opening after the tabs 38 have been bentupwardly and laterally, as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Thus, eachstud 26 is pushed upwardly through the opening 32, in its respectiveposition, and then the lower end 28 of the stud is moved laterally anddownwardly between the inclined portions 20 of the base structure 12.Side end portions 24 of the stud 26, at its lower portion, are locatedin openings in the inclined portions 20 of the base structure 12, afterthe tabs 22 have been bent downwardly into the solid line position, asshown in FIG. 1, whereupon the lower end 28 of the stud rests upon thesetabs 22 and the lower end of the respective stud is then held againstmovement longitudinally relative to the base structure, due to the factthat the openings blanked out from the inclined portions 20 hold thestuds captive and prevent it from moving in the base structure. It willbe understood that when the respective stud 26 is forced downwardlythrough the openings left by removal of the tabs 22 that the upper endof the respective stud slides downwardly in the aforementioned opening32 in the channel structure 34 to a position generally, as shown in FIG.1 of the drawings. The tabs 38 are subsequently secured to conventionalfurring channels 40 by means of tie wires 42. The furring channels 40 bymeans of tie wires 44 are secured to runner channel structure 46 whichis suspended by tie wires 48 from a conventional concrete slabsuperimposed flooring 50 or other similar structure which may be subjectto vertical movement or deflection as indicated by arrows A in FIG. 1 ofthe drawings.

In conventional building construction these superimposed floor slabs 50are steel reinforced slabs and form floors of superimposed stories inbuildings. When loaded, these floors 50 deflect, and accordingly, thechannels 40 and 46 suspended therefrom, move up and down, carryingceiling lath 52 and plaster 54 therewith. Thus, the plaster 54 movesvertically in accordance with the deflection of the floor slab 50.

The ceiling plaster 54 at its edge portions 56 adjacent a walldesignated B is isolated from the wall B so that movement of the ceilingplaster 54 may take place relative to plaster 58 of the wall orpartition B.

Each channel structure 34 as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings is providedwith three channel sections 60, 62 and 64, the channel 34 being formedof a single sheet of metal and having a first pair of flanges 66defining opposite walls of the channel 62 and also forming walls of thesecond and third channels 60 and 64 which are provided with additionalflanges 68 and 70. Thus, the channel structure of the invention isprovided with four flanges extending in the same direction and the firstflanges 66 form common dividing walls for the three separate channels.

The flanges 66 are disposed at opposite sides of the studding 26 andsupport inner sides of conventional plaster lath 69 while the wallplaster 58 disposed on the outer sides 72 of the lath 69 is isolatedfrom the ceiling plaster 54 by the flanges 68 and 70. Thus, theseflanges 68 and 70 provide for a sliding or moving connection between theceiling plaster 54 and the wall plaster 58 on the lath 69. Thus, thelath and plaster is disposed between the flanges 66 and 68 and 66 and 70and during the placement of the plaster 58, metal strips 74 are wedgedbetween the flanges 68 and 70 and the outer sides 72 of the lath 69 tohold the lath in proper position until after the plaster 58 has beenplaced on the lath.

Between the adjacent edges 76 of the lath, clips 78 are disposed andprojected through openings 80 in the studding 26. A T-head section 82 ofthese clips 78 overlaps adjacent edges 76 of the lath 69 and, thus,holds adjacent panels of the lath in connection with the studding.

It will be obvious that plaster board or other panelling, such as woodor the like, may be secured and held between the flanges 66 and 68 ifdesired; thus, taking the place of the lath 69 and plaster 58.

Lower edge portions 84 of the lath 69 rest upon the inclined portions 20of the base 12 and, thus, these lower edges are urged into closeproximity with the studding 26.

The downwardly converging portions 20 of the base 12 are provided withopenings which receive plaster during the application thereof to thelath 69, thus, the plaster is anchored to the base 12 and formsacoustical insulation therein.

When the channel structure 34 is used adjacent a masonry wall asindicated at C in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the lath 69 and the plaster 58is supported by the channel 34 in a similar manner to that shown inFIG. 1. However, the channel 34 shown in FIG. 2 is in a verticalposition and adjacent the vertical face 86 of a wall C and, thus, thechannel 34 isolates or separates the vertical edge of a wall D from thevertical surface 86 of the wall C.

The flanges 66, 68 and 70, all perform functions similar to that shownin FIG. 1 with regard to the supporting of the lath 69 and the plaster58 of a wall.

As shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings a wall 88 stands in a building roombetween respective walls 90 and 92 below a ceiling 94. A horizontalupper portion of the wall 88 is covered by a section of the channel 34which is as shown in FIG. 3 without the perforations 38 therein. Thus,the channel 34 forms an upper structure for the wall while a verticalsection of the channel structure 34 is disposed as shown in FIG. 2 tocover the standing vertical edge of the wall 88.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the flanges 68 and70 as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings provide an isolation structurebetween the ceiling plaster 54 and the wall plaster 58 so that theceiling may move upwardly and downwardly relative to the wall B withoutcausing relative cracking of the plaster, neither the ceiling or thewall.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications of the present invention may be resorted to in a mannerlimited only by a just interpretation of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a means for isolating plaster wall and ceiling junctures thecombination of: a building structure comprising upright partition wallsand a ceiling; studding members in and between opposite sides of saidwalls; a channel member disposed at substantially right angles to saidstudding and engaging the upper ends thereof; three substantiallyU-shaped channel portions of said channel member being open in adownward direction and having four downwardly extending flanges in thesame direction; and ceiling supporting structure suspending said channelmember one of said channel portions being an intermediate channeldisposed between the other two of said three channel portions; a firstpair of said four flanges spaced apart and forming first channel sidesand common dividers between said intermediate channel portion and saidother two channel portions; a second pair of said four flanges formingsecond sides for 'said other two channel portions; said first pair offlanges disposed at opposite sides of said studding members; a web ofsaid channel member disposed between said first pair of flanges, saidweb having openings therethrough in which said studding members extendand in which they are laterally supported lath means adjacent saidstudding members and one of said first pair of flanges; wall plasterparallel with and adjacent to said lath means and one of said secondpair of flanges; and ceiling plaster abutted to the outer surface of oneof said second pair of flanges.

2. In a means for isolating plaster wall and ceiling junctures thecombination of: a building structure comprising upright partition wallsand a ceiling; studding members in and between opposite sides of saidwalls; a channel member disposed at substantially right angles to saidstudding and engaging the upper ends thereof; three substantiallyU-shaped channel portions of said channel member being open in adownward direction and having four downwardly extending flanges in thesame direction; and ceiling supporting structure suspending said channelmember one of said channel portions being an intermediate channeldisposed between the other two of said three channel portions; a firstpair of said four flanges spaced apart and forming first channel sidesand common dividers between said intermediate channel portion and saidother two channel portions; a second pair of said four flanges formingsecond sides for said other two channel portions; said first pair offlanges disposed at opposite sides of said studding members; a web ofsaid channel member disposed between said first pair of flanges, saidweb having openings therethrough in which said studding members extendand in which they are laterally supported lath means adjacent saidstudding members and one of said first pair of flanges; wall plasterparallel with and adjacent to said lath means and one of said secondpair of flanges; and ceiling plaster abutted to the outer surface of oneof said second pair of flanges.

3. In a means for isolating plaster wall and ceiling junctures thecombination of: a building structure comprising upright partition wallsand a ceiling; studding members in and between opposite sides of saidwalls; a channel member disposed at substantially right angles to saidstudding and engaging the upper ends thereof; three substantiallyU-shaped channel portions of said channel member being open in adownward direction and having four downwardly extending flanges in thesame direction; and ceiling supporting structure suspending said channelmember one of said channel portions being an intermediate channeldisposed between the other two of said three channel portions; a firstpair of said four flanges spaced apart and forming first channel sidesand common dividers between said intermediate channel portion and saidother two channel portions; a second pair of said four flanges formingsecond sides for said other two channel portions; said first pair offlanges disposed at opposite sides of said studding members; a web ofsaid channel member disposed between said first pair of flanges, saidweb having openings therethrough in which said studding members extendand in which they are laterally supported lath means adjacent saidstudding members and one of said first pair of flanges; wall plasterparallel with and adjacent to said lath means and one of said secondpair of flanges; and ceiling plaster abutted to the outer surface of oneof said second pair of flanges; and a vertically deflectible overheadfloor structure supporting said ceiling supporting structure.

4. In a means for isolating plaster wall and ceiling junctures thecombination of: a building structure comprising upright partition wallsand a ceiling; studding members in and between opposite sides of saidwalls; a channel member disposed at substantially right angles to saidstudding and engaging the upper ends thereof; three substantiallyU-shaped channel portions of said channel member being open in adownward direction and having four downwardly extending flanges in thesame direction; and ceiling supporting structure suspending said channelmember one of said channel portions being an intermediate channeldisposed between the other two of said three channel portions; a firstpair of said four flanges spaced apart and forming first channel sidesand common dividers between said intermediate channel portion and saidother two channel portions; a second pair of said four flanges formingsecond sides for said other two channel portions; said first pair offlanges disposed at opposite sides of said studding members; a web ofsaid channel member disposed between said first pair of flanges, saidweb having openings therethrough in which said studding members extendand in which they are laterally supported lath means adjacent saidstudding members and one of said first pair of flanges; wall plasterparallel with and adjacent to said lath means and one of said secondpair of flanges; and ceiling plaster abutted to the outer surface of oneof said second pair of flanges; said channel member being formed ofsingle piece of sheet metal, said first pair of flanges comprisingfolded portions of said piece of sheet metal.

5. In a means for isolating plaster wall and ceiling junctures thecombination of: a building structure comprising upright partition wallsand a ceiling; studding members in and between opposite sides of saidwalls; a channel member disposed at substantially right angles to saidstudding and engaging the upper ends thereof; three substantiallyU-shaped channel portions of said' channel member being open in adownward direction and having four downwardly extending flanges in thesame direction; and ceiling supporting structure suspending said channelmember one of said channel portions being an intermediate channeldisposed between the other two of said three channel portions; a firstpair of said four flanges spaced apart and forming first channel sidesand common dividers between said intermediate channel portion and saidother two channel portions; a second pairof said four flanges formingsecond sides for said other two channel portions; said first pair offlanges disposed at opposite sides of said studding members; a web ofsaid channel member disposed between said first pair of flanges, saidweb having openings therethrough in which said studding members extendand in which they are laterally supported lath means adjacent saidstudding members and one of said first pair of flanges; wall plasterparallel with and adjacent to said lath means and one of said secondpair of flanges; and ceiling plaster abutted to the outer surface of oneof said second pair of flanges; metal strips compressively wedgedbetween each lath means and a respective one of said second pair offlanges to hold said lath means in position during plastering.

6. In a means for isolating plaster wall and ceiling junctures thecombination of: a building structure comprising upright partition wallsand a ceiling; substantially vertical studding members having upper andlower ends in and between opposite sides of said walls; a channel memberdisposed at substantially right angles to said studding and engaging theupper ends thereof; three substantially U-shaped channel portions ofsaid channel member being open in a downward direction and having fourdownwardly extending flanges in the same direction; and ceilingsupporting structure suspending said channel member one of said channelportions being an intermediate channel disposed between the other two ofsaid three channel portions; a first pair of said four flanges spacedapart and forming first channel sides and common dividers between saidintermediate channel portion and said other two channel portions; asecond pair of said four flanges forming second sides for said other twochannel portions; said first pair of flanges disposed at opposite sidesof said studding members; a web of said channel member disposed betweensaid first pair of flanges, said web having openings therethrough inwhich said studding members extend and in which they are laterallysupported lath means adjacent said studding members and one of saidfirst pair of flanges; wall plaster parallel with and adjacent to saidlath means and one of said second pair of flanges; and ceiling plasterabutted to the outer surface of one of said second pair of flanges; asheet metal base structure for said studding members comprisingdownwardly converging sheet metal portions between which said lower endsof said studding members are disposed and on which the lower portions ofsaid lath and plaster are supported adjacent said studding members, saidbase structure having a bottom portion resting on a floor and supportingsaid downwardly converging portions, said downwardly converging portionshaving openings in which lower portions of said studding members aredisposed and held; vertical walls of said base structure extendingupwardly from said bottom thereof and coupled to the uppermost portionsof said downwardly converging portions; said vertical wall portionsbeing disposed below said wall plaster and forming a baseboard structureadjacent the bottom of said base structure and a floor upon which itrests.

7. In a means for isolating plaster wall and ceiling junctures thecombination of: a building structure comprising upright partition wallsand a ceiling; studding members in and between opposite sides of saidwalls; a channel member disposed at substantially right angles to saidstudding and engaging the upper ends thereof; three substantiallyU-shaped channel portions of said channel member being open in adownward direction and having four downwardly extending flanges in thesame direction; and ceiling supporting structure suspending said channelmember one of said channel portions being an intermediate channeldisposed between the other two of said three channel portions; a firstpair of said four flanges spaced apart and forming first channel sidesand common dividers between said intermediate channel portion and saidother two channel portions; a second pair of said four flanges formingsecond sides for said other two channel portions; said first pair offlanges disposed at opposite sides of said studding members; a web ofsaid channel member disposed between said first pair of flanges, saidweb having openings therethrough in which said studding members extendand in which they are laterally supported lath means adjacent saidstudding members and one of said first pair of flanges; wall plasterparallel with and adjacent to said lath means and one of said secondpair of flanges; and ceiling plaster abutted to the outer surface of oneof said second pair of flanges; said channel member having a web portionbetween the flanges of said first pair.

8. In a means for isolating plaster wall and ceiling junctures thecombination of: a building structure comprising upright partition wallsand a ceiling; studding members in and between opposite sides of saidwalls; a channel member disposed at substantially right angles to saidstudding and engaging the upper ends thereof; three substantiallyU-shaped channel portions of said channel member being open in adownward direction and having four downwardly extending flanges in thesame direction; and ceiling supporting structure suspending said channelmember one of said channel portions being an intermediate channeldisposed between the other two of said three channel portions; a firstpair of said four flanges spaced apart and forming first channel sidesand common dividers between said intermediate channel portion and saidother two channel portions; a second pair of said four flanges formingsecond sides for said other two channel portions; said first pair offlanges disposed at opposite sides of said studding members; a web ofsaid channel member disposed between said first pair of flanges, saidweb having openings therethrough in which said studding members extendand in which they are laterally supported lath means adjacent saidstudding members and one of said first pair of flanges; wall plasterparallel with and adjacent to said lath means and one of said secondpair of flanges; and ceiling plaster abutted to the outer surface of oneof said second pair of flanges; said channel member having a web portionbetween the flanges of said first pair; tabs punched from said openingsand integral with said web whereby said openings are formed.

9. In a means for isolating plaster wall and ceiling junctures thecombination of: a building structure comprising upright partition wallsand a ceiling; studding members in and between opposite sides of saidwalls; a channel member disposed at substantially right angles to saidstudding and engaging the upper ends thereof; three substantiallyU-shaped channel portions of said channel member being open in adownward direction and having four downwardly extending flanges in thesame direction; and ceiling supporting structure suspending said channelmembers one of said channel portions being an intermediate channeldisposed between the other two of said three channel portions; a firstpair of said four flanges spaced apart and forming first channel sidesand common dividers between said intermediate channel portion and saidother two channel portions; a second pair of said four flanges formingsecond sides for said other two channel portions; said first pair offlanges disposed at opposite sides of said studding members; a web ofsaid channel member disposed between said first pair of flanges, saidweb having openings therethrough in which said studding members extendand in which they are laterally supported lath means adjacent saidstudding members and one of said first pair of flanges; wall plasterparallel with and adjacent to said lath means and one of said secondpair of flanges; and ceiling plaster abutted to the outer surface of oneof said second pair of flanges; a sheet metal base structure for saidstudding members comprising downwardly coverging sheet metal portionsbetween which lower end of said studding members are disposed and onwhich the lower portions of said lath and plaster are supported adjacentsaid studding members, said base structure having a bottom portionadapted to rest on a floor to support said downwardly convergingportions; vertical walls of said base structure extending upwardly fromthe base thereof and coupled to the uppermost portions of saiddownwardly converging portions; said last mentioned wall portions beingdisposed below said plaster and forming a baseboard structure adjacent 9the bottom of said base structure and a floor upon which it rests; saiddownwardly converging openings disposed to receive plaster when appliedto said lath means for anchoring said plaster to said base and providingacoustical insulation of said base.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 610,457 9/1898Omeis 52350 10 1,134,736 4/1915 Gleason 52349 1,981,240 11/1934 McNeil5224-2 1,982,104 11/ 1934 Holdsworth 52241 2,101,952 12/1937 Olsen 52242Braloif 52241 Bronner 52479 Collrnan 52241 Nelsson 52241 Nelsson 52481Nelsson 52238 Radek 52241 OTHER REFERENCES California Plasterer, April1963, pages 16 and 17.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, K. E. PAYNE, J. E. MUR- TAGH, Assistant Examiners.

1. IN A MEANS FOR ISOLATING PLASTER WALL AND CEILING JUNCTURES THECOMBINATION OF: A BUILDING STRUCTURE COMPRISING UPRIGHT PARTITION WALLSAND A CEILING; STUDDING MEMBERS IN AND BETWEEN OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAIDWALLS; A CHANNEL MEMBER DISPOSED AT SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT ANGLES TOSAIDSTUDDING AND ENGAGING THE UPPER ENDS THEREOF; THREE SUBSTANTIALLYU-SHAPED CHANNEL PORTIONS OF SAID CHANNEL MEMBER BEING OPEN IN ADOWNWARD DIRECTION AND HAVING FOUR DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGES IN THESAME DIRECTION; AND CEILING SUPPORTING STRUCTURE SUSPENDING SAID CHANNELMEMBER ONE OF SAID CHANNEL PORTIONS BEING AN INTERMEDIATE CHANNELDISPOSED BETWEEN THE OTHER TWO OF SAID THREE CHANNEL PORTIONS; A FIRSTPAIR OF SAID FOUR FLANGES SPACED APART AND FORMING FIRST CHANNEL SIDESAND COMMON DIVIDERS BETWEEN SAID INTERMEDIATE CHANNEL PORTION AND SAIDOTHER TWO CHANNEL PORTIONS; A SECOND PAIR OF SAID FOUR FLANGES FORMINGSECOND SIDES FOR SAID OTHER TWO CHANNEL PORTIONS; SAID FIRST PAIR OFFLANGES DISPOSED AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID STUDDING MEM-